This report develops a methodology to estimate the global cost of providing international assistance to meet refugee subsistence needs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the host country’s contribution arising from allowing refugees to participate in the local economy, and the complementary assistance required from the international community to bridge the remaining gap.
JDC Literature Review
Advancing the Jobs Agenda: Toward Self-Reliance in Refugee Situations
This paper synthesizes recent evidence on refugee self-reliance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
A Triple Win: Fiscal and Welfare Benefits of Economic Participation by Syrian Refugees in Jordan
This book examines the welfare of Syrian refugees in Jordan and quantifies the fiscal implications of their economic participation.
Formal Micro-Credit for Refugees: New Evidence and Thoughts on an Elusive Path to Self-Reliance
This paper examines whether formal micro-credit can meaningfully support self-reliance and financial health among refugees in protracted displacement.
From Policy to Practice: Lessons from the Implementation of the Refugee Work Rights Policy in Ethiopia
This paper examines the early implementation of Ethiopia’s refugee work rights policy. Ethiopia is Africa’s third-largest refugee-hosting country, with over one million refugees drawn primarily from South Sudan (41 percent), Somalia (33 percent), and Eritrea (17 percent).
Expanding Development Approaches to Refugees and Their Hosts in Ethiopia
This report examines the socioeconomic conditions of refugees and host communities in Ethiopia, with the aim of generating high-quality evidence to inform policy and guide development interventions toward greater self-reliance and economic integration.
Measuring Self-Reliance Among Refugee and Internally Displaced Households: The Development of an Index in Humanitarian Settings
This paper describes the development and validation of the Self-Reliance Index (SRI), a standardized measurement tool designed to assess the multi-dimensional self-reliance of refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) households in humanitarian settings.
Making Ends Meet in Refugee Camps: Food Distribution Cycles, Consumption and Undernutrition
This paper investigates whether the food consumption of refugees in protracted displacement responds to the timing of food aid distribution cycles, and whether the interval since the last distribution affects the short-term nutritional status of children under five.
Economic Life in Refugee Camps
This paper analyzes the economic life of Congolese refugees within three camps in Rwanda and their interactions with surrounding local economies.
Measuring Self-Reliance of Refugees in Rwanda
Rwanda’s Refugee Sustainable Graduation Strategy 2025–2030 aims to transition 50% of refugee households from aid dependency to self-reliance by 2030.